Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, May 27, 2016
(UNDATED) - Indiana hunters harvested 12,081 wild turkeys during the 2016 spring wild turkey season, according to data from the Department of Natural Resources.
This is a 2-percent increase from the 11,853 turkeys taken during the 2015 spring season.
Spring harvest in 25 counties exceeded 200 birds, with 49 counties showing an increased harvest.
The top 10 counties were Harrison (363 birds), Steuben (362), Dearborn (330), Jefferson (324), Orange (314), Switzerland (309), Greene (303), Crawford (285), Marshall (278), and Warrick (277).
During the youth turkey season, 1,430 birds were taken.
The youth season was April 23-24. The regular spring turkey season was April 27-May 15.
Nineteen percent of the spring harvest was juvenile turkeys; 39 percent was 2-year-olds; and 42 percent was 3 years old or older.
The estimated number of hunters afield was 57,332 in 2016, with an estimated hunter success rate of 21 percent.
Approximately 65 percent of the harvest occurred by 10 a.m. each day.
Male gobblers made up 98.7 percent of the harvest. The remaining 1.3 percent was reported as bearded hens.
Annual statewide harvest levels have leveled off since the harvest peak in 2010 (13,742), with recent annual spring harvests in the range of 11,000 to 12,000 birds.
The 2016 harvest was the sixth highest spring harvest. For the first time, all harvested turkeys were checked in electronically.
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